Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownie Bars
So, do you happen to remember the insane brownies that I made quite awhile ago, the Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars? They’re a layer of brownies, then ooey gooey marshmallows, and then topped with a combination of melted chocolate, peanut butter and Rice Krispies.
Well, those brownies and these brownies could be twin sisters. What’s going on here is a layer of chewy, fudgy brownies, topped with peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups, and then topped off with that same melted chocolate/peanut butter/Rice Krispies mixture. Insanity. In an insanely good way.
I found a version of this recipe over on Babble – it includes a full-on peanut butter layer in the middle instead of the peanuts and peanut butter cups. I may have to give that one a shot too. Oh, who am I kidding? “May?” Of COURSE I am going to make those too!
For the brownie base of these you can use your favorite brownie recipe. They are best with a chewy, fudgy brownie vs. a cakey brownie. I think these Chewy Brownies are perfect for the job, but use whatever you’d like, just make sure it’s a recipe for a 9×13-inch baking dish (not an 8×8 or 9×9).
(I also used the chewy brownies as a base for my very favorite chocolate peanut butter brownies, as well as my buckeye brownies; you have to give those a try, too!)
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Don’t say I didn’t warn you about how addicting these are, but your life will certainly be more complete with these babies in it!
Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 batch of your favorite brownie recipe for a 9×13-inch pan, I recommend Chewy Brownies
- ½ cup (73 g) salted peanuts
- 8 Reese’s peanut butter cups, chopped
- 1½ cups (270 g) milk chocolate chips
- 1½ cups (387 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ tablespoon (0.5 tablespoon) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups (42 g) Rice Krispies cereal
Instructions
- 1. Prepare the brownies according to the directions and bake for about 5 minutes less than the recipe states. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the peanuts and chopped peanut butter cups. Return to the oven and bake for 5 additional minutes.
- 2. While they are finishing baking, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the cereal to evenly coat. Remove the brownies from the oven and evenly pour the chocolate and peanut butter mixture over top. Spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting and serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
So…I made these last night. I refrigerated for the 2 hours plus extra, expecting to be able to take them out, and have the chocolate peanut butter cereal topping firm up like a rice krispie treat. Except it did not. It is very fudgy and “wet”, which was not what I was expecting, from your pictures. By wet, though, I don’t mean runny – it does keep it’s shape well after it has been cut & sliced…it’s just not hardened like I was anticipating.
Did I do something wrong? Or are your pictures just deceiving, in that way??
Also, I am assuming these can be stored room temperature after that initial 2 hours of refrigeration. Is that correct?
Hmm I’m not sure I understand how you’re describing your results. The pictures aren’t deceiving – the topping is definitely set up. They aren’t rock hard or even as hard as rice krispy treats, but certainly set, however not “wet”. They can be stored at room temperature (that’s how I kept mine), unless you’re in a warm climate without air conditioning.
Does this help clarify what I mean?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v350/MayDays/Blog%20Pix/IMG_4349s.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v350/MayDays/Blog%20Pix/IMG_4355s.jpg
Do you see how the chocolate cereal topping on mine is “wet” looking (and super soft when you bite into it), as opposed to the ones in your pictures, which look firm and appear that they would have a slight crunch or bite when you bit into them? I followed the ingredients & directions precisely…I felt like maybe they needed more cereal but hesitated to add it. I don’t know what else I could’ve done to make the topping look more like yours. Hmmm…
Oh I do see what you mean. Hmm… that is baffling, especially since you say you chilled them for so long. They definitely should have set up. I’m equally perplexed!
oh my …. I am going to make these next weekend… love the photos… ;O)
these look insanely good!!! omg i love brownies, PB cups, rice krispy treats…you rolled it all into one….amazing!
OK, I have been “Off” of desserts for a few weeks, but when I saw these, I have to make them….right now! Thanks for the post and beautiful photo!
Chris
Holy cow!! Outrageous!! I want to eat the picture!!
Are these even legal?!?!? Look SOOOOOOOOOOOO good!
Nice photo. These look delicious. Thanks for sharing and congrats on the Top 9 on Foodbuzz.
Thanks!
These sound fantastic! I’m allergic to peanut butter, but I could totally use almond butter in this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Congratulations on top 9 :)
Thank you! :)
I LOVED the marshmallow crunch brownies and these look just as amazing!
My fiance would make me make these for him all the time if I did it just once! They look downright amazing… I’ll have to wait until he’s been extra good =)
my favorite is the undisputed
I saw these yesterday, and made them today! They are AWESOME! It’s like eating a nutter butter and a brownie at the same time! YUM! Thanks for posting!
Oh my, I LOVE these. the absolutely look stunning. love the peanut butter cups and adding more chocolate to them in the form of brownie will haunt me until i try them. thanks for sharing Michelle
hope you’ll have a wonderful weekend
I’ve died and gone to heaven. My goodness!! I need to make these pronto! :-p
I made these last night and they were fabulous! My husband is a huge fan of brownies and peanut butter cups. Everyone is raving about them today at work.
Thank you for sharing!
Brownies and peanut butter? The most perfect combo ever. This recipe looks awesome. Love your site =)
I am all for completion and these look great!
This looks so good. Anything made with peanut butter is delicious!
I think I may make these but (slightly) healthier by using bean brownies for the bronwnie layer.
these look so good! i will definitely be bookmarking and making in the future!
Holy peanut butter; these look incredible!
I’ve made these before and they made my life! Yum!
Mmmm, these look amazing. My husband would love if I made these for him! I’d love for you to submit this over at the M&T Spotlight: http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight
Those are absolutely STUNNING! :D
Oh my gosh. I’m drooling. I have to make these! Thanks for sharing.
Those brownies look deliciously decadent. On a side note inspired by your cookie topped borwnie link at the bottom of the post… I’m playing with an idea for a brownie bar that has a chocolate chip cookie dough bottom with a brownie layer on top. All the recipes I’ve seen for any type of layered bar put the brownie batter on the bottom. Any one know why??
The brownie requires a longer bake time to bake through. The cookie layer on the bottom will stifle the heat coming from below and the potential for the cookie bottom to burn before the brownie is baked will increase. I did something similar with a layered brownie, where I put a crumb crust and a layer of fudge before the brownie layer and it added another 15 minutes to my bake time. To counter this you’d probably want to chill the cookie dough before adding the brownie batter and putting it in the oven.
Thanks, Adam. I’ve done brownies on a shortbread crust (pre-baked) and didn’t have any problems. For my current idea, my plan was to make individual “bars” in a lined muffin pan that has chocolate chip cookie dough on the bottom, brownie on top, and then frost them with chocolate chip cookie dough frosting (or eggless raw cookie dough) and decorate hem with a cookie wedge. Do you think that making them in a muffin pan might eliminate the problem of over baking the cookie dough?
I’d say that if you load the pan with cookie dough and chill, and perhaps lower the oven temperature (if its 350F) I’m sure you’d be okay. It’s not something I’ve done before, but I’m curious to hear the results. I’m actually thinking of doing something similar but in a pie form :).
Oh and by the way: That sounds awesome :) Good luck :).
Again, thanks! I remembered that I’d baked both brownies (as a base for an ice cream cake) and cookie dough (as a “Cookie cake”) in my 4 1/2″ mini-springform pans. Ironically the cookie dough baked longer, 15 min @ 350 and then 15-18 at 325. The brownie base only took ~18 at 325. I think that the cookie dough was slightly chilled, and probably thicker than the brownie batter, but it gives me hope that my idea will work. :) Your pie idea is intriguing.
Mmmm, everything you could possibly want in a brownie recipe is here.
Are you trying to kill me? You are!!! These look insane and I just may be forced to make them. And soon!
So evil with all of those peanut butter cups in there! I can imagine eating the entire pan! Great recipe, thanks for passing it along!
I keep complaining because everyone keeps making all of these amazing peanut butter related recipes. This, Looks, INCREDIBLE. I’m tempted to grab some peanut butter cups on the way home.. I have the other ingredients. But I DO have a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies waiting to be baked in the fridge. All these peanut butter posts drove me crazy, so I made the dough at 10pm last night :P
Sorry, Michelle! My comment about the caramel was meant to be posted under the Marshmallow Crunch Brownie recipe. Duh…